Efficacy of MRI for volume reduction surgery of pulmonary emphysema

Chest CT scan and pulmonary scintigraphy have been used to determine target areas of volume reduction surgery. We applied HASTE imaging with different respiratory conditions for the 22 patients undergoing VRS. The images that were created by adding inspiratory to expiratory phase informed us which part of the diaphragm moved well. Changes of excursion distances after VRS correlated with patient's subjective symptom. In case target areas were the emphysematous lesions that didn't prevented from diaphragmatic motion, clinical symptoms didn't often improve. MRI helps us to identify which lesions should be resected to improve respiratory function. (author)